Handheld wireless communicators (communication devices) are widely used for wireless voice, data and/or multimedia communications. As used herein, the term “handheld wireless communicator” means a wireless communicator that is small enough to be cradled in an average size human hand during operation. Handheld wireless communicators include conventional cell phones, smart phones that may include voice, video, text message, email and Web access capabilities, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) with wireless communications capabilities, wireless pagers, Blackberry wireless handheld email devices, and handheld Personal Computers, but excludes conventional laptop computers. Handheld wireless communicators may have a total operational surface area of about 50 square inches or less, and may include a total display area of about 30 square inches or less. In particular, some smart phones may have a total operational surface area of about 20 square inches or less, and a total display area of about 12 square inches or less. For convenience, a handheld wireless communicator may also be referred to herein simply as a “phone”.
Handheld wireless communicators may be classified based on the configuration of the housing thereof. In particular, a single piece housing may be provided in what is commonly referred to as a “stick phone”. Two-piece housings also may be provided that are rotatably connected to one another in a “clamshell” or “jackknife” configuration, or are slidably coupled to one another in a “slider phone” configuration. These various types of housings have become ubiquitous for handheld wireless communicators, and need not be described in detail herein.
It may be desirable for a handheld wireless communicator to be hearing aid compatible. In fact, the hearing aid compatibility of certain devices has been mandated in the United States by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). As is well known to those having skill in the art, hearing aid compatibility may be provided by reducing the free-space, near-field electric (E) and magnetic (H) field emissions toward the ear when the handheld wireless communicator is in use.